[Direct Translation from Tetum by FRETILIN Department of Information and Mobilisation (DEPIM-F)]

Paulo Martins: “I signed it”

Yesterday, at an extraordinary Parliamentary session on Friday 27th September 2007, Member of

FRETILIN’s Parliamentary bench, Elizário Ferreira presented a Circulation Pass (Guia de Marcha) to the National Parliament which was signed by the then President of the Republic Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao (now Prime Minister) and the former Commander of the Timor-Leste National Police Force (PNTL), Paulo Martins. The Circulation Pass requests protection and freedom of movement to Vicente da Conceicao ‘Railos’ to carry out official duties during the crisis.

After the Plenary session, Elizário spoke with journalists and stated that he raised the Circulation Pass issue in Parliament to clarify if the letter was factual because FRETILIN’s parliamentary bench found the letter on the internet. “We found the Circulation Pass on the internet and we thought that it could be a forged document that’s why I decided to present it to the Plenary to confirm whether or not it is true. One of the signatures belongs to Paulo Martins, a Member of Parliament, who confirmed the letter is true, that they signed it and that it was given to Railos” Elizário said.

Elizário stated that MP Paulo Martins said that they gave this letter to Railos in order to carry out a cantonment in Laulara. Elizário stated that as a result of this letter, we can say that it allowed impunity and opportunity for Railos to walk freely so as to burn houses, steal people’s belongings, intimidate people in Liquica, destroy people’s belongings and the freedom to move freely around this country.

“These things shouldn’t occur in this country. If Paulo Martin’s response is true in relation to the

Circulation Pass issued to Railos, then it means that there was no respect for Law and Justice. Dr Mari Alkatiri was still Prime Minister on the 29th May 2006 and had the authority to resolve the issues raised by the petitioner’s and Railos’s case. At that time it was a Government issue, so why didn’t the President of the Republic co-ordinate with Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri before issuing the Circulation Pass?

Instead, he issued this letter with Mr. Paulo Martins who was then the Commander of the Timor-Leste National Police Force” Elizário stated.

According to the FRETILIN MP, this Circulation Pass clearly provides great impunity to Railos. The

Circulation Pass states “We ask all entities not to impede our brother Railos’s movements and his

associates because they are carrying out official duties.” This letter was issued on the 29th May 2006 and signed by the then President of the Republic Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao, Commander of the Timor-Leste National Police Force Paulo Martins and Vicente de Conceicao ‘Railos.’

“What sort of official duties were Railos and his group carrying out? Was the shooting at Taci Tolu on the 24th May an official duty? Or the intimidation of people in Liquica an official duty?” Elizário

questioned.

“This letter clearly shows where the crisis originated. Mr. Paulo Martins admitted that they wrote the letter.” Elizário said.

I also signed it

The former Commander of the Timor- Leste National Police Force, who is now a CNRT Member of

Parliament, said that Railos went to Balibar to meet the President of the Republic Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao to inform him about what happened on the 24th May 2006.

“I think at that moment the President of the Republic, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao, issued the Circulation Pass which I also signed to Railos with the intention of reorganising his elements to come to Balibar.

Secondly, the intention was to give protection to Railos’s life because he was one of witnesses” said Paulo Martins.

Paulo said that they didn’t issue the Circulation Pass to Railos with the intention to kill people, burn houses or to destroy and intimidate people. “If this was the case, I would not have had the courage to sign the Circulation Pass. Everybody knows where Railos came from and who formed Railos (group)” he said.

Although everyone knew that Dr Mari Alkatiri was in charge of the Government, Paulo Martins said that he signed the “Circulation Pass” without consulting Mari Alkatiri because at that time the situation did not permit him to do so. “I did not consult Mari Alkatiri because the situation did not allow me to do so, but I also believe that the measures taken by the President of the Republic Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao at that time were right and didn’t harm anyone. It was only to protect Railos and his group to restrict him in order to avoid him going elsewhere” Paulo Martins said.

The CNRT Member of Parliament also said that the Circulation Pass which was given to Railos was only valid for the period that Railos needed to organise his members to go to Balibar.